Which would you chose?
Better additive pack vs. higher base group
Better additive pack vs. higher base group
Havoline 5w-20 or MC 5w-20?
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Both good. Buy the cheaper one.
Flip a coin.
Someone's got to have an opinion on which is better. They're very different aren't they?
Well opinions are like you know what. Noone here can say for certain which one is better. I'll make an entirely unvalidated opinion. If yhou drive extremely hard and use shorter OCI's go with Havolione bc of the higher moly. If you drive easy and desire longer OCI's go with MC.
Thanks Al. With 8167 post I think your opinion is valid.
I drive fairly hard, e.g. 95% city mileage, but only drive 5-6 k miles a year, so I'm leaning towards 6 mo OCI's.
I drive fairly hard, e.g. 95% city mileage, but only drive 5-6 k miles a year, so I'm leaning towards 6 mo OCI's.
Both oils have similar flash points, similar base numbers, and are similarly priced. Both are excellent. The one difference might depend on what vis you want to choose. Since you stated you were interested in 5w20, my answer is Havoline. I'll explain why, and explain my thougths on the other popular vis's below:
Havoline's 10w30 is a bit more hearty than Motorcrafts (at 40*C). Motorcrafts 10w30 and 5w30 are nearly the same. So if you want something with fewer VII's and thinner than many 10w30's, but thicker than many 5w30's, go with Motorcraft. If you are really pushing the envelope and need the thickest 10w30 to protect bearings at high temps and high RPM, or have a piston slap problem, i'd go with Havoline.
For the 5w20's it's hard to overlook Havolines 8.5 base number and 460*F flash point. For a dino gas engine oil, it just doesn't get any better than this. I will go out on a limb and say for the 5w20 oils, there is NO better dino gas engine oil than Havoline - period. Having said that, Motorcraft 5w20 is also really good, i just think Havoline edge's it out with their base number and flash point.
For the 5w30's it a real coin toss, both oils have similar properties, base numbers, flash points, etc. In my experience, while on paper they look the same, it seems like Havoline might be a tiny bit thicker, especially when cold. Perhaps less VII's? Who knows. If i wanted to be assured of cold temp performance and quick flow at start-up and the best gas mileage, i would look towards Motorcraft.
I've used both oils quite a bit, and you cant go wrong with either one.
How's that for a complex answer
Havoline's 10w30 is a bit more hearty than Motorcrafts (at 40*C). Motorcrafts 10w30 and 5w30 are nearly the same. So if you want something with fewer VII's and thinner than many 10w30's, but thicker than many 5w30's, go with Motorcraft. If you are really pushing the envelope and need the thickest 10w30 to protect bearings at high temps and high RPM, or have a piston slap problem, i'd go with Havoline.
For the 5w20's it's hard to overlook Havolines 8.5 base number and 460*F flash point. For a dino gas engine oil, it just doesn't get any better than this. I will go out on a limb and say for the 5w20 oils, there is NO better dino gas engine oil than Havoline - period. Having said that, Motorcraft 5w20 is also really good, i just think Havoline edge's it out with their base number and flash point.
For the 5w30's it a real coin toss, both oils have similar properties, base numbers, flash points, etc. In my experience, while on paper they look the same, it seems like Havoline might be a tiny bit thicker, especially when cold. Perhaps less VII's? Who knows. If i wanted to be assured of cold temp performance and quick flow at start-up and the best gas mileage, i would look towards Motorcraft.
I've used both oils quite a bit, and you cant go wrong with either one.
How's that for a complex answer
hominid7,
That was a great answer. I was way off when I thought I was Havoline (better additive pkg) against MC (better base group).
That was a great answer. I was way off when I thought I was Havoline (better additive pkg) against MC (better base group).
Hey why not look at ConocoPhilips other brands. Normally less than MC and is the same stuff.
For the record, Havoline has a 7.6 Base Number and Motorcraft has a 7.8 base number in grades other than 5w20.
Both are top-notch oils, and ewetho is right, with oils like TropArtic being sold for 1.48 qt at walmart, conoco oils can be a *very* good deal. Both oils tend to show excellent numbers in UOA's, so you can't go wrong either way.
Both are top-notch oils, and ewetho is right, with oils like TropArtic being sold for 1.48 qt at walmart, conoco oils can be a *very* good deal. Both oils tend to show excellent numbers in UOA's, so you can't go wrong either way.
I dont know....MC does have Grp II and III oils, some of which are possibly imported from korea, which is why it is "semi synthetic". Does that make it better? I dont know. Havoline appears to be a grp II+. Does that make it worse? I dont know either.
My guess is that both oils arrive at similar spots on the quality scale but have different means of getting there. One not necessarily being better than the other.
However in the case of the 5w20 it is just hard to overlook havolines very high flash point and very high base number. Fortunatly for the consumer, all of the newer 5w20 oils seem to all be very high quality products.
It's easy to buy overpriced oils, but it's getting harder and harder to buy "bad" oils. These two (Havoline and MC) are both really good and reasonably priced.
I have been using Mobil One in 4 viscosities ( nexus to your thread 0w20, 5w20). If you want to stay with conventional oil and those two are the choices, I say buy on price: sales, coupons, manufaturers' rebates, etc !!!
FP is 460 for 5W-20 and 450 for 5W-30...
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I'm leaning towards Havoline next time with a Motorcraft filter.
Enjoy the fact that you have two fantastic motor oils to choose from. Folks who bash 5w-20's will struggle finding a weakness in either of these great oils.
I have actually used both in the 4 different Honda in my fleet. My personal favorite is Havoline. It appears somewhat thinner, yet makes the engine run somewhat sooner....maybe all the moly.
In any event, you can't make a mistake with these two choices.
I have actually used both in the 4 different Honda in my fleet. My personal favorite is Havoline. It appears somewhat thinner, yet makes the engine run somewhat sooner....maybe all the moly.
In any event, you can't make a mistake with these two choices.
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